Kidnapped Flower
by Echo the Nymph
Summary: An ancient darkness, after Anemone is linked to our world. Revised!
1. Kidnapped!

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Ronin Warriors.  
NOTES: This one starts out with the Ronin Warriors. Don't worry! DBZ is always with it!!  
  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Ryo, what's wrong?" Cyae inquired. His friend was nervous, starting at the slightest sound. That wasn't like him at all. He was just too alert.  
  
"I'm not very sure. It just feels like the Dynasty isn't through with trying to take this realm." Ryo clenched his hands into fists trying to control his temper. His blue eyes glittered with anger as he felt something was very wrong with the situation.  
  
This caused another to look up. "Come off it. We wasted Taulpa, and you know it!" Kento cried. He sounded very sure of himself because of the damage they had dealt the enemy during the last battle. Then, they heard a gasp coming from another room, a room up on the second floor of the mansion; the office.  
  
"Guys, come to see this!" Mia cried. The group flooded into the room, around the small TV screen. Upon it was a news report.   
  
"And this just in from West Capital. There has been a string of kidnappings, yet most of the children have been found unharmed. Only one is still missing." A picture of a young girl, obviously different from what they had expected to see, with her obsidian colored eyes, long, jet-black hair that was pulled back into a braid, wild bangs, and the look of innocence on her face. "This is Anemone. She was being looked after by Miss Bulma Briefs while her cousin is away. If you have any information on her whereabouts, please call the West Capital police or Capsule Corporation."   
  
The woman turned it off. "Well, this confirms it. The Dynasty is trying again. They must've wanted that little girl for something." That put them on edge. In that moment, what they had been feeling became reality. The Dynasty wasn't through with them, not by a long shot.  
  
~  
  
Two warriors soared through the skies. "Gohan, slow down. We're doing all we can to find her." Krillin declared over the howling wind.   
  
"Somehow I feel like it isn't enough." he muttered. The boy sped up, scanning for his friend's ki. Where are you? Anemone, please, give us some clue as to where you are. Gohan was beginning to feel desperate, as he couldn't feel her anywhere within his ki sensing range.   
  
~  
  
Yulie let out a startled gasp as Dynasty soldiers surrounded him in the meadow that he'd been in. "Lie! Go away! Leave me alone!" he cried. The Jewel of Life gave off a sharp white light, which demolished a 1/4 of the soldiers. And yet, the brilliant light caught the attention of the two flying warriors.   
  
The duo landed, with their ki flames still burning about them. This new power was too much for the tin armour that encased the evil spirits. They disintegrated, leaving nothing but scorch marks to show where they'd been.   
  
Gohan turned to the other young boy, letting his power level fall and his aura extinguish. "Are you all right?" He queried.  
  
"Hai." Yulie blinked. "Are you looking for Anemone?"  
  
"Hai, why? Have you seen her?" Krillin inquired. The young boy shook his head, causing their hopes to plummet.   
  
"Someone I know thinks she knows where she is." He led them to a mansion, then into the landing. "Mia!" The young boy's voice easily reached to the woman's ears.  
  
She quickly came down the stairs. "Yes, Yulie? What is it?"   
  
The boy gave a silent gesture to the two warriors. "They're looking for Anemone."   
  
The woman looked from one to the other. I hope they believe the truth. But, it's stranger than fiction. "Come with me." She led them into a room that seemed devoted to samurai research. Old armours lined the walls as did weapons of many types. Namely swords.   
  
They saw her sit down at the computer, then look up some files. She looked up after finding what she was looking for. "A couple of years ago, a nether realm was sealed away. The old prophecies that my grandfather kept recorded told of it breaking free. This is the one." Mia turned back and recited it, blandly as if she had nothing to do with the Dynasty Wars. "Eight seasons ago they were imprisoned. By the power and innocence of a child from a forgotten race, the will rise again. The Dynasty will return."   
  
Krillin and Gohan stared. They were thinking practically the same thing: Was this woman crazy? How could nether realms effect the mortal one? Then, an ominous rumbling sounded through the area. Mia leapt to her feet and dashed over to a window.   
  
The rest of the group crowded around. A gateway had risen from the floor of a city that was only fifty miles from theirs. "No. The Dynasty." Mia whispered. She flung the window wide open. "Look up! They're back!" she screamed down to those in the yard. They looked up, startled. The gates had risen in West Capital. They sky over that area grew darker and darker as the clouds built up from nothingness. Lightning streaked across the sky and faint rumbles and crashes were heard that clearly were not thunder.  
  
Gohan and Krillin exchanged a glance. They knew that the Z senshi within West Capital were in danger now. What could they do to help them when they were so far away that they could barely see the tops of the skyscrapers?   
  
"Not good." Krillin muttered, bringing up his ki. Gohan grabbed his arm instantly, stopping him. "Krillin, we can't go there now. There are only two of us and who knows how many of them? Plus, I don't think Anemone's back in West Capital. We don't even know what weaknesses the soldiers there have. We're not fighting Frieza or any of his goons here." The child had a valid point, and his older friend didn't fly away.  
  
"What is this Dynasty?" He inquired, gazing at them.  
  
"We'll tell you in the living room." Ryo called up to them as they filed into the house. Once all were in the living room, he began. "They Dynasty is a nether realm that has threatened the mortal one before. Their ruler is a demon that is called Emperor Taulpa." Ryo then sighed, falling silent.  
  
Sage took over. "Over a thousand years ago, Taulpa and his minions tried to take the mortal world. One person alone stopped him and that was the Ancient One, our mentor. He vanquished Taulpa back to the Dynasty and yet the evil armour remained."  
  
Rowen then spoke up. "As long as the armour was intact, the Ancient One knew the threat of revenge could be carried out, so he divided it into nine mystical armours. Four fell into darkness and five stayed in the light. The Dynasty has soldiers that are dressed in armour reminiscent of the times of the samurai. Within the armour are spirits that are made from the negative emotions of people that were captured."   
  
Cyae glanced at his friend, knowing that he had better tell this part. "The armour is the weakness of the Dynasty Soldiers. It isn't very strong and when punctured the spirit leaves. But, you must still be wary. Where the soldiers are, there could also be Warlords. The Warlords are much more dangerous, as their weaknesses are less visible. These warriors can be demons or men, depending on how Taulpa found them. The four mystical armours that fell to the darkness were his first Dark Warlords that were faced. But the virtues of the armours asserted themselves and they left him. Others can be even more dangerous than they ever were."   
  
Ryo finally spoke up again. "The reason why we know so much about this, is that we were the ones chosen by the five Ronin armours to fight the Dynasty a thousand years after Taulpa's first attack. Each armour has its own element and spirit, or virtue. I am Ryo of the Wildfire, Bearer of Virtue. This is Sage of Halo, Bearer of Wisdom. Rowen of Stratta, Bearer of Inochi is sitting beside Yulie.   
Next to him his Cyae of the Torrent, Bearer of Trust. On my left is Kento of Hard Rock, Bearer of Justice. Now you know of us and the Dynasty. What are your names?"   
  
"I'm Son Gohan." The young black-haired boy declared. "This is my friend, Krillin. We are looking for Anemone, and Yulie told us that Mia might know where she is. I never would have thought that it could be a nether realm." 


	2. She Awakens

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: Don't own the series.   
  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Anemone stirred on the hard, cold floor. She grimaced slightly, trying to hold onto what little power hadn't yet been taken from her. "She's still resisting, Lord Taulpa. Yet enough has been taken to restore many of the creations that the Ronins destroyed." Bantamon declared. He returned to the incantation that was meant to drain her of her power. The evil spirit was concentrating on what he was doing to her. I had never thought that a child could be so powerful.  
  
Where am I? And what's going on here? The last thing that I remember was something surrounding me while I was training. Then she became aware of her power being drained. NO! I won't let them do this to me! The power I have is a part of who I am! Nail, please, help me! Her plea to her former sensei seemed to break the spell she was under then...  
  
A bright blue aura surrounded her as she gathered what remained of her accessible ki. Her obsidian eyes snapped open with a sudden sharpness. "What? She should've been unconscious for two more days!" the Lord of the Nether spirits cried. Astonishment was plain to hear in his tone. Obviously, he didn't know about saiya-jins. Soon it would be time to educate him.  
  
"I won't let you do this to me." she hissed. The girl's jet-black hair was fluttering about in the sudden rush of energy. A primal scream escaped from her as her own power caused excruciating pain. The little amazon blasted a hole in the wall of the palace then flew out. She dodged the other nether spirits under the dull red sky. Only when she was far from the palace did she begin to relax.  
  
I must hide. There is too much evil power here for me to fight my way out. The young saiya-jin landed and hid under an upraised building. "Ow." she softly muttered as something had stabbed her in the hip.   
  
Anemone reached behind herself, then freed an arrow from the ground. The small remnants of her power caused a dark blue kanji to appear. Inochi. But why? Why would the arrow have a kanji marking? Then the effects of the power drain hit her. The girl's eyes slid closed as she fell into a peaceful sleep. A sleep that would rejuvenate her ki to a level that could help her more in this foreign world.  
  
~*  
  
"Child, get up." a gentle voice commanded. She managed to get to her feet, and only then did she see the one speaking to her. A monk, dressed in blue and white stood before her. A cone shaped hat was on his head, hiding his eyes from sight. Sandals were on his covered feet and in his hand, he held an unusual staff, with a top made of what appeared to be gold. Long white hair fell over his shoulders and down his back. Wisdom and kindness radiated from his being.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"They called me the Ancient One. Listen to me, this place is the Dynasty, an evil nether realm that has attempted to take your mortal realm for thousands of years. Go to a far-off corner. There you will find the last Ancient and three samurai warlords. They will help you get back." He began to vanish from sight.  
  
"Wait! How will I know?"   
  
"Child, you hold one of the arrows from the armour Stratta, the armour of Inochi. She will know." He faded back into the mist surrounding Anemone, leaving her alone in her sleep. The mists slowly faded, leaving a peaceful scene that brought the rest she needed.  
  
*~  
  
She sat up sharply, nearly hitting her head off of one of the floor beams above her. Well, that explains the kanji. Now, off to the place he told me to go. The girl crawled out from under the building then ran off. She didn't dare to fly, as they would see her all too easily. It had taken her much too long to loose them when she flew and even now, her energy had not recovered enough for her to fly more than ten miles. Instead, she followed her instincts to where her heart led her.  
  
~  
  
"Kale, Dais, Sekhmet, we must leave now. The Dynasty is once again under the control of the evil one." Kayura declared. Suddenly, the rings on her staff danced about wildly. The three warlords formed a protective circle around her, looking in the direction that a weakened power came from.  
  
Surprise came over them when they noticed a young girl standing a little ways off. It was clear that she had been running from the area of the palace. Yet here she stood, barely winded. Long raven black hair tumbled down her back, as her braid had fallen out over the dash to this area. She wore a simple pair of blue jeans, tennis shoes and a top that was a pale lavender. Her wild bangs seemed to hang in the air; defying gravity. Dirt was smeared over her body, showing that she had hidden next to the ground, probably under a building.  
  
"A little girl? But why would the staff react to her?" Dais commented, to the world at large. He seemed very confused; as she clearly wasn't something that could be dangerous to them.  
  
"Look. That is one of Rowen's arrows." The Ancient walked away from the warriors and up to the girl. "Who are you?" She knelt slightly, still keeping her grip on the staff of the Ancients. Her kimono folded around her gracefully as she gazed into the girl's eyes.  
  
The girl blinked and looked up at her. "My name is Anemone. I was kidnapped from West Capital. Can you help me get home?"   
  
Something tells me that this girl is from a forgotten race. But which one? So many have been forgotten or lost. "Yes, Anemone. We'll help you get home. Come." She led her to the warlords standing where she'd left them. After a few introductions, they were teleported to the mortal realm.   
"This way, child. You still need to rest." She guided her into the hidden temple gently.   
  
In one of the rooms, farther from the entrance, she was placed on a bed. Warm blankets were draped over her as sleep claimed her as a friend. Sekhmet sat near her, ready to defend her should the need arise. All present knew that there was something about her that the Dynasty would kill for. They had to keep her safe until she could defend herself once more. 


	3. SoulBrother

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the shows.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
  
  
The group walked quietly through the forest, heading for a far off temple. The continuous threat of unexpected attack had prompted them to leave the house. "This foliage is so thick that I can't tell how much farther we have to go." Mia complained. She alone knew the way, for she'd been to this temple before.  
  
"Hey, we all know what it looks like. I'll check out how far away it is." Kento volunteered. He shot up a tree, then leapt from branch to branch.  
  
"You're a regular monkey, Kento!" Cyae called up to him, and this caused the other samurai to laugh. Kento glared down at them before laughing as well. He'd pulled that stunt before, and Cyae had said the same thing.   
  
"There it is! Not far now!" he cried. The group continued onward, then entered the courtyard of a well-concealed place of safety.   
  
Once there, Ryo instantly tensed up. "Heads up, guys. Someone else is here." he hissed. Gohan looked up because of his tone, and his ki sense picked up something familiar. A familiar ki that was severely weakened.  
  
That's Anemone's ki! But why is it so weak? Even on Namek, she had more power than this. "Krillin, Anemone's here! I can sense her ki!"   
  
The small warrior started, then felt her powers as well. "Yup, she's here all right. But what drained her like that? She's been weakened so much." This isn't good. Where could she be in there?  
  
The others looked confused. "What's ki?" Yulie inquired, voicing what was on the minds of his samurai friends.   
  
"Ki is a fighting power that comes from the soul. The more a warrior aware of this ability trains and fights, the greater it becomes. Very few things can drain it so drastically as what we sense right now." Krillin explained as they headed for the door set in the stone walls.   
  
Lady Kayura came out of the temple when she heard the voices. "They are right. The girl is here. She managed to escape from Taulpa and is now resting. Come with me." she commanded. The last Ancient led them deeper into the temple. Stone all around them was lit by the few torches that burned within the place. A few murals graced the walls, and richly polished doors stood in silent testimony to the rooms behind them. And still, Kayura led them onward.  
  
~  
  
~*  
  
Anemone quietly sat on a large boulder. She could feel an incredible danger coming from the future. "Anemone, you are so little." There was a teasing tone in the familiar voice; a voice of a friend, aged to another person.  
  
She turned to the one who'd addressed her in mock anger. "And you don't look so good yourself." she snapped back. Her eyes were glittering in a mixture of irritation and the mock anger.  
  
Mirai Gohan lifted his hands in a measure of self-defense. "Hey, I didn't mean anything personal about it. Listen to me. There is a great evil coming to your time that can't be stopped until it arrives. Your mental abilities will prove to be above all value when they do arrive. I hope to high heaven that what has happened to us won't happen to you." He stood to one side, revealing who was with him.  
  
A young woman looked forlornly at a burning forest. "She is your future counterpart. Much has happened in her life to cause sorrow. One thing she regrets is taking so long to learn from Lady Kayura. Now, that is the safest place for her child. But be warned. Because of this dream, your time could split from ours to make another one." He turned and walked back over the dry, brittle, browned grasses to his mate. The smoke suddenly thickened, blocking all view of anything more than a foot away.  
  
*~  
  
She groaned then woke sharply. "Well, you're awake. How do you feel?" Sekhmet inquired.   
  
"Like I was hit by one of Frieza's uppercuts." she replied.   
  
He blinked. That was confusing. Who is Frieza? Definitely not someone from a nether realm. Then, the door swung open and he whirled around, tense.  
  
"Anemone!" Gohan cried when he saw his friend. He leapt towards her, enveloping her in a fierce hug.  
  
"Gohan!" she answered in happiness, returning his embrace. This was more than she expected. Her friends had never given up looking for her. It was quite a relief to see that they had come for her, even not knowing where to look. My soul-brother!   
  
He looked at her, startled. I heard that, Anemone. Just what is a soul-brother?   
  
A soft mental laugh answered him. You are my soul-brother. As such, your soul is a brother to mine, and mine a sister to yours. Your father and mother are my soul-parents. You were all there for me when the family of my body couldn't be. She started to untangle her hair. It was a dreadful mess after her being unconscious for so long. Once all the tangles were out, the young amazon smoothed her raven hair and placed it back in the braid that held it out of the way when she fought. Then, she gazed to each one of them, feeling relief, wonder and concern. Of all the Z Senshi, only two were here with these warriors. And she could tell they were warriors by the way they carried themselves, plus there was a mystical feeling to their life force. They were heroes of wars unknown to them. 


	4. Working Together

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the shows.   
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
  
  
Krillin let out a sigh of relief. "Now that we've found you, Bulma won't bite our heads off."   
  
"Yea, and Vegeta won't give you a one way ticket." Anemone replied then started laughing. Gohan joined in, realizing what she meant. Suddenly, her laughter stopped. She looked paler than what she should have. The impact of her dream had just hit her. She couldn't tell anyone what she'd seen. Not one person was to know. It could cause a paradox that couldn't be fixed.  
  
Mia gently laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Is something bothering you?"   
  
"Nothing much. I just...had an unusual dream." she replied, purposely vauge. It was quite clear to those who knew her well that she was hiding something from them. The amazon knew that it wasn't right to tell them of the threat that would come in the future. Someone else would have to do that, if what she felt from Mirai Gohan was correct. A young warrior, around sixteen years of age, would come and let them know.  
  
Kayura let out a startled gasp as she turned away from her scrying glass. "Anemone, where did you say you were taken from?" Her voice trembled slightly. The city she'd just seen had many more people than Toyama did.  
  
"West Capital. Why?"   
  
"That's the city that Taulpa has captured. You mustn't go back alone."   
  
"Maybe we should take the fight to him. I've had enough of him bringing the battle to us." Ryo declared, as he planted his fist in his opposite hand. The group went outside, then got startled as the three from West Capital took to the sky without anything lifting them. "Suit up, guys. This looks like it'll be a long day." He suited up into the armour of Wildfire, startling those hovering in the air.  
  
They samurai were lifted into the sky by the powers of the Ancient clan. "Lead the way." Kayura declared.   
  
~*~  
  
"What a mess. Taulpa trashed it." Kento declared. Anemone felt tears fill her eyes. The building she was closest to had been home for her for just about a year. And now it was in desperate need of repairs. A muffled voice came from underneath a mass of rubble then it shifted. "Ow!" It had cried.  
  
"Yamcha, is that you?" Krillin called.   
  
"Hai, Bulma and Piccolo are here too." They came out of the mess, and had startled looks on their faces when they saw the young amazon.   
  
"Anemone!" Bulma cried. She ran over to the woman, then hugged her. The force of her lunge knocked her to the rubble-covered ground. "You are so rambunctious. Such a toddler."   
  
A delighted laugh came from her. "You wouldn't want to see a saiya-jin toddler. From what Nail's told me, I was pretty destructive whenever I threw a fit." Her reminder was well-placed, as Bulma burst out laughing with her.  
  
Within Piccolo, Nail chuckled softly. She's telling them the truth. Fortunately, her tantrums could be contained. With difficulty, but it was done. He shook his head in confusion. How could a child who was so cheerful be a violent girl was just too confusing. But then again, he'd seen that side of her on Namek. She'd really laid the smack down on Frieza when he was in a weaker form. Piccolo shifted his gaze to the overcast sky, sensing the darkness that threatened.  
  
Lady Kayura looked on in confusion. A saiya-jin? That's her species? She turned her attentions to the others. Only one among them had energies similar to the girl's. Gohan? He's part saiya-jin? If so, then there must be pure ones left. Then, she nearly smacked herself. Of course there are. Anemone is full-blooded, and she told us about her cousin and another warrior who had defeated an ice-jin tyrant. Both were pure saiya-jins. Yet she kept her species secret. I can understant that, because that's why the Dynasty was after her. She's got powers that humans can never dream of. Taulpa took those powers to restore his own. Kayura alerted. "They're here." Dynasty soldiers surrounded the group, cutting them off from any retreat. Meancingly, they brandished their weapons in an attempt to frighten those they had surrounded. Scythes and chains rattled as swords gleamed in the dim light.  
  
"They're really starting to tick me off!" Kento cried, brandishing his staff angrily.   
  
Ryo slashed through five with the same swipe. "Keep your cool. We have no idea of what he's got in store for us."   
  
That's how you do it. Puncture the armour. Anemone drew her hands back, building up her ki for an attack.   
  
Krillin looked up sharply. He recognized that move. "Watch out! She's going to use the Kamehameha wave!" The small warrior leapt back, to avoid the energy wave.  
  
"KAMEHAMEHA!!!!" the girl cried as she shot her attack at the enemy. Many of the soldiers near the path of the attack were disinigrated by the sheer power of it. The resulting explosion took out more of the soldiers that had been unlucky enough to be standing near the site of impact. When the dust cleared, there was a bit of a crater that had been created. A few smoking pieces of armour littered the perimeter of it.  
  
So, that's what he meant. It's an energy attack. Cyae leapt back, startled by the evil creations. "You're asking for it." he cried as he held his spear parallel to the ground. "SUPER WAVE SMASHER!!!" A wave of water shot out from his weapon, impacting them like a tidal wave.  
  
This caused the last of the soldiers to fall in shambles. Then, from the darkness, an evil voice laughed. "Well, you're more skilled than I thought. But still, not even the one bearing the armour of Wildfire can defeat me."   
  
The demon emerged from the shadows with a slow, deliberate action. "You are on my turf now. The battleground is my home, for I am Hades." He laughed again. "This will be your last battle."   
  
"We'll just see about that." Ryo hissed. The Ronins began to link up to the Inferno armour. The evil warlord was shocked, for he hadn't counted on this. Theirs was a power that went beyond the ages, and penetrated the soul. He lunged forward, but then another power made itself known.  
  
"KIENZEN!!!" Krillin cried, flinging the energy disk at him. The evil creature managed to dodge it. Anemone knocked him down, keeping him from getting away. His face was in the crumbled asphalt of the street, and a sharp young knee was pushed into the small of his back. Hades hissed in anger, struggling.   
  
How could a child be so strong? Oh no... The warlord began to struggle more violently.  
  
"Anemone, get out of the way!" the Ronin shouted. The amazon leapt away from where she'd been standing, giving him a clear path of attack. "RAGE OF INFERNO!!!" Hades let out a scream. "It isn't enough!" Clearly their enemy was withstanding the attack.   
  
Sekhmet stepped forward. "I'll give you a hand. SNAKE FANG STRIKE!!!" The evil warlord let out another cry of pain as the poisoned swords struck him.   
  
Kuso*! I didn't expect them to work together! "You will never succeed!" He cried as his body was vaporized. When the light faded, not a thing remained of what had once been a powerful warlord. And still, the Ronins hadn't seen a hundreth of what the Z senshi could do. Yet now they had allies in the fight against the darkness. And by the powers that had begun to show, the darkness wouldn't win.  
  
  
  
  
  
*- Trust me, you don't want to know. It's very impolite. 


	5. Korin Tower and Kami's Lookout

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the show. No todos que brilla es oro. (All that glitters is not gold.)   
  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
"What did he mean by that? We wouldn't succeed?" Mia inquired of no one in particular. Below them, the land passed by in a blur so that something couldn't be distinguished from another. Then she turned to face the other warriors. "Where are we going?" Curiosity laced her voice and tone.  
  
"To the Kami's Lookout." Piccolo growled. He was tempted to speed up, but he knew that his flying was almost to fast for her to handle right now. His gaze shifted to his allies, most of them holding an exhausted samurai, but the Ancient was able to keep herself and the tiger afloat by the powers of her people. I never knew that there was such a clan. And now, there is only one left from the first Dynasty Wars. Well, they won't die out with her death. I can feel something in the samurai with her.  
  
A soft glow coming from behind them caught the girl's attention. She turned, staring at one of the gates. Its light was so evil, so dark that it was trying to kill the goodness left about it. I don't like this. Something is happening. A shudder ran through her form, no matter her attempts to suppress it. She slowed down, flying with her back towards the direction they were going.  
  
The Namek-jin flew back to her. "Come on, Anemone. This isn't the best place to stop." She gazed up at him, the look in her eyes telling him that evil was growing. The group landed at Korin Tower to rest before ascending to the main part of the sanctuary. They looked about, startled by the changes that had happened over a few short hours. Rubble lay all about, showing that someone had trashed the place. Korin was no where in sight, causing worry for the Z senshi.  
  
The old cat managed to stumble out of his hiding place when he recognized the warriors of Chikyuu. "Korin, are you all right?" the young amazon inquired in shock. She had never seen the grand old cat in such a state. He appeared so haggard and tired that she feared he would leave them in a short while.  
  
"I'm fine, Anemone. If you're worried about Kami, I suggest that you get up there. Oh, take these with you." He handed the bag to the young saiya-jin girl. The strength of his voice laid waste to her fears. He wasn't in any danger. "I suppose that you stopped here to let the samurai rest while you were on the Lookout. You can't stay here much longer. I feel that Kami and Mr. Popo could need your help." Once more, they lifted the samurai with them and leapt from Korin's. Their flight sped up rapidly to give them enough boost to defy gravity. They were relieved to see that any damage done to this area was minimal, once they'd gotten up there.   
  
"Kami, Mr. Popo!" Krillin called. He sounded concerned, as they had become friends over the years he'd known them.  
  
"We're fine, Krillin, but your concern is appreciated." He turned to the other warriors with the Z senshi. "You can relax here. This is a place of safety."   
  
A few of the samurai looked uneasy, but as true to his armour spirit, Cyae trusted the elderly Namek and shed his armour. This shocked his friends, as they were not expecting one to be so friendly, nor Cyae so trusting. "Cyae, are you sure about that?" Kento demanded.  
  
"I'm sure. We can trust him." he replied. The tone of his voice convinced his friends that they had nothing to fear from the Kami.   
  
Yea, he'd know. The warrior of Trust. Kale thought rather absent-mindedly. Then, the rest of them shed their armours, following Torrent's example. Their attention was suddenly drawn to the amazon. She was walking over to a tile that had been turned over by the force of the tower's shaking.  
  
"Anemone, be careful! That area needs repaired!" the genie cried. He sounded frightened, as he very well should be, for if something happened to her, Vegeta would never let up on him.   
  
"You're forgetting that I can fly Mr. Popo." The girl looked oddly at a message carved into the tiles. Her gaze became thoughtful as she continued to gaze at it, before turning to the guardian. "Kami, how long has this been here?" She gestured to the tile that she had been gazing at.  
  
"That's been there ever since my predecessor sealed Garlic away." he replied.   
  
She turned back to it, studying the way it had been written. Virtue. Wisdom. Trust. Life Force. Justice. Loyalty. Serenity. Piety. Obedience. These nine spirits are of the armours that protect this realm. Nine armours, split from one. When the city is in danger, they will come with the powers of the Ancients. The children of the spirit will aid them in this battle, right to its end.   
  
Anemone reeled back in surprise, as she understood instantly. Such speed was not the norm for her when it came to prophecy. "I understand. Nine spirits, nine armours split from one. The armours they wear have those spirits. And the children of the spirit," she turned to the Z senshi, "that's us. Our power comes from the soul. All of us can help."   
  
Kami was the most shocked of all of them. He'd never figured that out, and here this girl, with little education, had managed it within seconds.   
  
"That was fast. Geeze girl, give us some heart attacks." Gohan commented. Anemone laughed and slapped his shoulder playfully. Catching her mood, the young warrior tackled her and began inflicting the tickle torture upon her. She shrieked with laughter before pulling away. Her expression was of playful accusation. The young amazon sprang at him, pinning him to the tiles below. She leapt off of him and landed in a guard stance.   
  
Gohan sprang at her once more. It quickly became obvious that they were goofing off, as children were wont to do. Laughter floated over the Lookout, relieving the tensions that were felt by the others. Playfully, they pounced on White Blaze inviting him to join their fun. The tiger got to his paws, a confused rumble coming from him. Then, he understood and pounced on them. Both children were pinned beneath him as a result. Soon, it became a free-for-all game, where the tiger enjoyed himself as much as the saiya-jin children.   
  
The Guardian of Chikyuu walked over to the edge of his Lookout. What was happening below was terrible. The Dynasty troops were searching the city for any people that may have been missed by the first assault. "I think that you have a great deal of training ahead of you. This evil is symbiotic with our world, and cannot be destroyed without risk of destroying our own. It must be contained."   
Kami explained. He sounded very troubled; as he had never found anything relating to this in the library. 


	6. Training and Despair

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Ronin Warriors.  
NOTES: The combination of ~~ with words between the tildes shows the words of a spirit.  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
  
The samurai warriors could only gape at the speed displayed by the training Z senshi. They kept vanishing from sight at a high rate of frequency. That was sheer speed at its best. Yet, how could they be so fast? Sure, they knew the hand was quicker than the eye, but the body being quicker than the eye was new to them. This was what legends were made of, happening right in front of them. The old stories were true; stories that their parents had told them as fables.  
  
Sage sat quietly, meditating. Within his mind's eye, he could see many paths before them. What was at the end of them was beyond his sight, yet he could feel that some had an end they wouldn't like as it would be their deaths. Wisdom. Armour of Halo. Armour of Light. Guide me to the true way to access our powers, increase our ability. One seemed to glow brighter than the others.  
  
~Sage of Halo.~ An ancient, wise voice came from the distance. It offered peace and assistance with those simple words.   
  
Ancient?  
  
~Yes, listen to me. As the children of the spirit train, so must you.~   
  
Nani!?  
  
~They push themselves to the limit, and occasionally beyond. Not only that, but they spar with frequency. Train your bodies as they do.~ His instruction fell to Sage to complete. He had to tell the others that they would have to push themselves harder.  
  
"Um, Chikyuu to Sage. Come in Sage." Kento called. Now what was it? Shouldn't he know better than that?  
  
Sage's blue eyes slid open. "Kento, were you ever told that interrupting someone when they were mediating was a bad idea?" he demanded. The Ronin of Light stood up to get a better view of the sparring Z senshi. Piccolo stopped sharply, almost as though he'd nearly been hit. According to his internal clock they had used up all the time in their turn.  
  
"We should let them use the arena now." the Namek declared. They vacated the area to let in the samurai. Anemone did her cool down stretches before turning back to the others. Her view was filled with the skills of the humans that didn't use their ki. Each punch and kick held a practiced ease, almost as though it were second nature to them. Even with their weapons they practiced, so that they would not be caught unaware of attack. Yet upon the Lookout, they felt no threat of the Dynasty.   
  
Wow. They are impressive. Such skill isn't developed overnight. The movements these warriors pulled spoke of the armours' elements. She observed how they pushed their bodies harder than they'd fought before. Somehow, they knew what could lay ahead and knew that they had better be prepared. Had they been warned by someone?  
  
What's going on? We've never trained so hard before. Cyae thought as he continued his work out. I can feel the force of water in me, running through me. His fist would have shattered any opponent's bone, that was how hard he punched. His gaze shifted over to his friends, and saw the same changes in them.   
  
By the time dinner was ready, they were done with the day's training. Anemone stared at Kento as he wolfed down his food. "Kento, from what I've been told about Goku's appetite, you're eating like he would." The Ronin of Hard Rock stopped in surprise. Why did she compare him with the champion of the previous Tenkaichi Budokai?   
  
Krillin laughed. "His manners are similar, but he'd never eat as much." Gohan's laughter joined in agreement. He'd never come close to his father's appetite. After all, his father was a full-blooded saiya-jin.  
  
Kento looked from one laughing senshi to another. What was it about his appetite that reminded them of him? "Hey, that's rude!" Hard Rock cried. The rest of them burst out laughing as well, causing him to blush furiously. This is worse than when Yulie thought I would eat the furniture.  
  
~*~  
  
The young amazon sat quietly near the edge of the Lookout. She was curled up as she gazed over the world. A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Anemone, what's wrong?" Mia inquired. Her tone was gentle; she was there for the young amazon as a mother would have been. A mother was something she hadn't known until she came to Chikyuu. Only then did she see what mothers were like.  
  
She turned to her, with tears in her eyes. "I feel like I've caused all this trouble. It was my power that he took to do this." Guilt filled her tone, her powers were potent for a saiya-jin who was so young. She knew nothing of her parents; nor what had been told to her mother on her first mission. From what she'd heard from Vegeta, she knew that there were other saiya-jins scattered throughout the galaxy. But that didn't deal with the problem she'd caused.   
  
"Look at me. You didn't cause any of it. If you hadn't been here, he may have taken Gohan, or another friend of yours." The woman gently urged her back into the building. She turned and looked back out over the land spread below them.   
  
"You have a kind heart, Mia." Kami approached her. "Anemone has not had a mother since the day she was born. On that day, Vejitasei was destroyed, and her parents with it. The only family she has left is her cousin. And he is not...shall we say...a very friendly person."   
  
Her expression became very surprised. "She is such a sweet child. I honestly don't see why her homeworld was destroyed. Was it hit by an asteroid or something?"   
  
A laugh sounded from behind her, prompting Mia turn. Gohan stood there, in his blue, white and red gi. "That's what Frieza would have you believe." He glanced at Kami, who gave a slight nod. "I don't know much about Vejitasei, but what I know, I will tell you. It was a huge planet, with ten times the gravity of this one. Vegeta said it was as red as a blood ruby. There were two suns, and it was inhabited by a very powerful race. This race was known as saiya-jin. The saiya-jins had taken their planet from a race called the Tuffles, by a very unusual ability. They could transform by the light of a full moon into what they call oozaru. But that required a tail."   
  
He drew a breath, ready to tell her what had happened. "Frieza was an ice-jin tyrant who ran a planet piracy business. He employed the saiya-jins to 'purge' planets for him. Once he heard about their lower class soldiers having powers on par with his elite, he grew afraid. My paternal grandfather, Bardock, was the only one to survive the attack on his team and after that he...changed. He knew, from what had happened to him on an earlier mission, that Frieza feared the rising of another Super Saiya-jin, the Legendary of the people. Bardock tried to warn the others to mount a defense, but they didn't quite believe him. Those who did sent infants and young children away from the planet before Frieza blew it up and killed all but five adults."   
  
"How terrible! He killed an entire race because of fear?!"   
  
Another voice sounded from the shadows. "Mia, that was the game he played." Anemone stepped back into the light. "Two of the adults that survived live still. One is my cousin, the prince of our people, Vegeta. The other is his father, Son Goku." Then her gaze became hard. "The majority of those who died that day were those who became as he was, for they had wiped out many peoples on their purging missions. All saiya-jins have a lust for fighting, its just that some contained it better than others. My mother was the sister of the king, making me a princess as well as her. Yet, as you have seen, I don't act it. All that Vejitasei was is now gone. I never knew anything of it, as I was sent away the day I was born and raised on Namek. And I tell you this: Frieza..." She trailed off, casting out her ki sense. "May still be alive and would not be one for those with little ki to attack. He and his kind can survive in the vacuum of space, and have destroyed entire planets."   
  
Her eyes grew distant with memory. "When Goku transformed into a super saiya-jin, due to the anger he felt at murder, he had more power than Frieza's final stage. So, in a desperate attempt to win the battle, he disintegrated Namek's core. It exploded five minutes afterwards, but all the Nameks had been transported here by Porunga, the Dragon of Namek. If that tyrant still lives, he will come."   
  
The amazon vanished back into the building. Her entire demeanor was still one of despair. Something drastic had to happen to snap her out of her depression. Her powers were needed against the darkness that was trying to take their realm.   
  
Then, they noticed Piccolo following her.  
  
His hand to rest on her shoulder. Nail's voice came from him. "Anemone, this isn't you. You were trained in the Old Ways of my people. It wasn't your fault that you were taken. If you must blame someone, blame the one that kidnapped you. Be grateful that you were able to get away from them before they could take all that they needed to bring their power back up to full." 


	7. A Voice Outside the Solar System

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the shows.   
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
  
  
  
"This isn't good. I've never seen a city look so deserted before." Rowan muttered. A clanking noise came from the shadows, causing them to tense. They found that they were surrounded. The Dynasty warriors would not let them leave the area that they were in if they could help it. Evil vibes radiated off of them, causing the Z senshi to power up.  
  
The samurai suited up so quickly that it was shocking. Somehow they knew that if they tried later, they would be inhibited by the evil spirits. "I think that you should be careful." Sage declared. He knew that there was another danger. Wisdom felt darkness.  
  
A few jaws dropped when Anemone knocked one the soldier's heads clean off with a well placed punch. The helmet fell to the pavement with a metallic clank and her hand print was upon the temporal region. "What? You saw me vaporize ten of them before." She sounded surprised. Her new allies had seen her use her ki before, so why would they be surprised by the strength of those called the Children of the Spirit? They continued the battle, managing to destroy every evil creation they came across.   
  
An evil laugh came from the deepest recesses of the city. "Impressive. Children of the Dynasty, bring to me the Children of the Spirit." Taulpa commanded. His dark voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. In response, the soldiers surrounded the small group. This time, they were prepared to take losses. There were many more of them than the defenders of the mortal realm.   
  
"Watch it!" the young amazon cried. She leapt away from one of the soldiers and vaporized him with a simple ki sphere. But then, she was caught by another and held tightly. She squirmed violently in an attempt to get away.  
  
The Ronin of Light closed his eyes, letting a deeper power come to him. "Power of Ancients. Sword of Light!! THUNDER BOLT CUT!!!!" Then the two soldiers holding the children fell down, sliced cleanly in half.   
  
Each grown warrior was pulled along forcibly. At those angles and with the close range, ki use was impossible. They were almost defenseless. It would take a miracle to help now... Anemone tried to cry out in warning, but the weight of the armour suit was keeping her from breathing properly.   
  
Taulpa himself came out of the shadows behind the gate. His eyes flashed an evil red, then the captives fell to the ground, unconscious, as most of their ki had been drained. "Ah, what an incredible power. And now, it will be used to destroy you!" He turned to the Ronins and Warlords. He seemed to be preparing something that would be devesting.  
  
A blast soared towards Ryo. "Power of Ancients. Swords of Fire!! FLARE UP NOW!!!!" By this time, the two young saiya-jins had managed to get out from under the evil armour. It fell to the bared ground with soft thumps.   
  
Gohan, he can't do it alone. Let's help him. Anger was filling her voice. Anger at what the evil being was doing. As had been taught to her, by her sensei.  
  
Hai. The boy charged up his favorite attack. "MASENKO!!!!!"   
  
"GALE FORCE!!!!!" she cried.   
  
The evil emperor fell back from the force of the attacks. He barely managed to get himself up off of the ground. "So, the brats escaped." His eyes flashed red again.  
  
"Don't look at it!" the girl cried, covering her eyes. Her friends followed her example, blocking out the evil light. Once it died away, they were able to see their enemy again. If he'd been able to have expression, shock would've plainly showed upon his features.  
  
"What? How did you block it?" he demanded. His tone was low, sinister and enraged.  
  
"She figured out your secret, Taulpa. Anemone's a very bright child." Kayura declared.   
  
The Dynasty's emperor let out an angered sound as he lashed out at them with his weapon. The group leapt away from where they'd been standing. Rowen reached for an arrow and notched it into his bow. The same power was deep within him as well.   
  
"Power of Ancients. Arrow of Inochi!! ARROW SHOCK WAVE!!!!"   
  
The demon stumbled backwards, startled by the force of the attack. "Power of Ancients. Swords of Fire!! FLARE UP NOW!!!!" The evil creature fell with a thud, but got back up swiftly.   
  
"Gohan."  
  
"Hai." he replied. They leapt into the air, surrounded by their auras. "MASENKO!!!!!"  
  
"GALE FORCE!!!!!" The two attacks hit him head on. The emperor cried out, knocking the children from the sky. Their impact on the ground was resounding. The wind knocked out of them, they lay in the craters their bodies had made trying to catch their breath.  
  
NO! Cyae thought. "Power of Ancients. Spear of Water!! SUPER WAVE SMASHER!!!!" Taulpa used the stolen ki to create a shield to block the attack, but it punched right through. For his attack was one of water energy, not ki.  
  
Anemone, Gohan, get up. The voice was familiar... Then they realized who was speaking to them.  
  
Goku? Where are you? she inquired.   
  
Where I am is not important. What is, is that your friends your help.   
  
The girl managed to push herself to her feet. "Gohan, get up." Then, the young warrior got to his feet and they joined their friends in the battle. 


	8. Combination of Powers

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the shows.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you all right?" Kento called.   
  
"We're fine!" They chorused, managing to dodge another one of Taulpa's attacks. Anemone fell into what seemed to be a trance. Nail, I know that I promised not to use this attack, but I don't see any other choice. Her eyes slid closed as a bright blue aura surrounded her young form.   
  
The warlords wondered what she was doing. Her power was going so high that they could sense it, even as ki numb as they were. And that's saying a lot.  
  
The amazon's eyes snapped open, an intimidating light in them. This is it. "GENKI NO KOROKO*!!!" Her attack hit the emperor head on. The energy was unblocked, as he thought he could handle it. That was a mistake that cost him. His stolen energy left him, returning to its proper owners.   
  
She easily cut off her beam as the others woke. The evil samurai lay on the ground, looking worn out. They leapt away from him, remembering what he'd done to them. "What just happened?" Piccolo demanded. He sounded angry. And having him angry was not a good thing. An angry Namek was worse than an angry human.  
  
"Anemone's attack returned your energy to your bodies." Lady Kayura explained. Hard Rock leapt back from where he'd been standing, barely avoiding a blow from the evil emperor. He glared at the demon, angrier at his darkness than at the entity itself.   
  
"Power of Ancients. Staff of Earth!! IRON ROCK CRUSHER!!!!"   
  
Taulpa barely avoided that blow, realizing how weak he now was. The power he'd felt so confident in was gone, back to its rightful vessels. His armour couldn't stand up to the weakest energy attack from the Z senshi. Then, a guided attack hit him hard.  
  
White Blaze let out an impressive roar as he returned to the battlefield. A light surrounded him, and when it cleared, he stood in his armour. "Good call, White Blaze." Sage declared.   
  
The five armours gave off a glow as the full Inferno link up began. The gaze that Anemone gave off told the others that they needed to help. They began to power up their attacks.   
  
"KAMEHAMEHA!!!!!"  
  
"MAKKENKUSEPO*!!!!!"   
  
"MASKENO!!!!!"  
  
"GALE FORCE!!!!!"  
  
Lady Kayura turned to the warlords. "It's time."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No buts Dais. Do it!"   
  
Each one of the warlords closed their eyes. In their hearts, they accepted the fact that the power of the Ancients was strong in them, as it was with the Ronins. Confusion came over them; what was going on? How could there be such a power in them?   
  
*  
  
Genki no Koroko- Energy of Spirit.  
  
Makkenkusepo- Devil's Screw Beam Light of Death 


	9. Final Strike

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the shows.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 9  
  
  
  
  
Their eyes snapped open, an ancient knowledge in them. "Power of Ancients. Sword of Night!! BLACK LIGHTNING SLASH!!!!"  
  
"Power of Ancients. Swords of Venom!! SNAKE FANG STRIKE!!!!"  
  
"Power of Ancients. Scythes of Sincerity!! WEB OF DECEPTION!!!!"   
  
Ryo drew out the Swords of Ferver. "Power of Ancients. Swords of the Soul!! RAGE OF INFERNO!!!!" These attacks hit Taulpa hard, joining those of the Z senshi and destroying his body armour then forcing him, as well as his spirits, back into exile.   
  
This freed the people that had been captured. The Z senshi quickly destroyed the gates to the realm that were still in the city, as the Inferno armour power was distributed back to the warriors. They vacated the area before anyone could ask them questions. "That was intense. Man, Taulpa isn't going to be happy." Kento muttered. His gaze shifted to the sky, now blue with white clouds floating along within it.   
  
"At least he isn't in our realm anymore. And don't forget, we can help you if you need it." Anemone declared. Her offer didn't fall on deaf ears.   
  
"The Dynasty is mainly our responsibility. But we're levelheaded enough to realize when we need help. Extraterrestrial evils are your main concern, so we'll leave you to that." Sage replied. He would rather keep them held back so that they could protect Chikyuu from other evils. Evils that were stronger than the Dynasty or other symbiotic realms.  
  
The girl reached into her pocket. "Almost forgot about these. Looks like we could all use one." She handed each warrior a seed.   
  
Ryo looked at the small seed in his hand. "What is it?" He queried, confused.  
  
"A senzu bean." Krillin replied, then ate his seed. He stood, thoroughly recovered. "Eat it and it will restore your health and strength."   
  
The Ronins looked at eachother with the same expression. Yet, they followed his directions. The results shocked the samurai. "Wow! That's amazing!" Cyae exclaimed.   
  
"The senzu come in handy during harsh battles." Gohan explained.   
  
Anemone's gaze shifted uneasily. "I don't think that the war's over. Massive nether energies are still in the area."  
  
"I'm surprised that you can sense it." Kayura commented.  
  
The girl shrugged. "It happens. But the area should be vacated. The feel of the others' auras is wrong." The tone of her voice was enough to let them know that she was right. All rose to their feet, and taking a samurai, took to flight. They knew that the danger in West Capital had passed, yet danger still remained; a danger to all of Chikyuu. 


	10. Epilogue: A Prophecy

TITLE: Kidnapped Flower  
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the shows.   
NOTES: This is the end of this one. ::shrugs:: Hey, I've been working her into other sagas too, so don't worry. There may even be a Mirai special.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
  
  
  
They waved good-bye to the samurai warriors as they left the city. "I hope they won't need our help again." Yamcha sighed. He hadn't liked fighting that battle, when his ki had been stolen.  
  
"You never know, Yamcha. This life is a great adventure, for you can't tell what the future brings." Anemone explained. No one knows the future. Those who see it, only see what may be not what will be. I would welcome a chance to help them again.  
  
"Hey, let's fly!" Gohan cried. The two children took to the skies, performing feats of acrobatics that would have been shocking, had they been visible.   
  
A little while later, the boy left, waving to his friends as he flew home. The girl landed, turning her gaze to the sky. Vegeta, you're nearing the end of your quest. But soon, another will begin. Little did she know, that her words were prophetic. There were many more dangers to come in the course of their lives. And some of those dangers would come soon. 


End file.
